Government Clerkships. 


HOW TO GET ONE. 


HOW TO PREPARE FOR EXAMINATION. 


PRACTICAL INFORMATION REGARDING EXAM¬ 
INATIONS UNDER THE RULES AND REGU¬ 
LATIONS OF THE TJ. S. CIVIL SER¬ 
VICE COMMISSION. 



Civil Service Rules and Regulations. 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

R. BERESFOKD, PRINTER, 523 SEVEI^H STREET. 











« 



'b\ 


i 


Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1883, 

By R. BERESFORD, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. 


* 








INTRODUCTORY. 


The object of this book is two-fold: 

1st. To furnish to persons who wish to compete in civil 
service examinations for government positions the means of 
preparing themselves for such examinations, and, 2d, to-give 
to those interested in an intelligent administration of public 
affairs a correct idea of the examinations to which appli¬ 
cants must submit. 

All of the questions included in the following pages have 
been used in civil service examinations, and while it is not 
likely that they will again be used, still a study of them will 
show the range which such questions embrace, and will 
enable one to prepare himself upon the topics which fall 
within the scope of the examinations. 

In addition to the examples given, the civil service rules 
and regulations have been included, as many questions will 
naturally arise which can only be fully answered by refer¬ 
ence to them. 

The opinion has very generally prevailed that a college 
education was necessary to qualify one for successfully pass¬ 
ing the civil service examinations. That this opinion is 
erroneous was conclusively shown in Hew York, where, out 
of 731 persons examined, 60 per cent, of the appointees 
selected had been educated in the common schools of the 
country, and 6J per cent, had received a collegiate education. 

Another erroneous opinion is that young men, just out of 
school, would be more likely to be successful than men 
more advanced in years. A large experience under the late 
examinations showed that the average age of the successful 
persons who were appointed was over thirty years. 

Persons wishing to prepare themselves for examination 
will find the regulations governing the “ marking and grad¬ 
ing ” of especial interest. The general examinations will 
be limited to the following subjects: 

1st. Orthography, penmanship, arid copying. 

2d. Arithmetic—fundamental rules, fractions, and per¬ 
centage. 

3d. Interest, discount, and elements of book-keeping and 
of accounts. 


4 


4th. Elements of the English language, letter writing and 
the proper construction of sentences. 

5th. Elements of the geography, history, and government 
of the United States. 

The method of grading established by the Commission 
assigns to arithmetic, book-keeping and accounts, one-half 
of the entire credits to be given in each examination, and 
to orthography, penmanship and copying, one-fourth, thus 
leaving to the fourth and fifth subjects above named the re¬ 
maining one-fourth. 

These examinations are not intended to test men’s literary 
qualifications. Their purpose is to bring into the public 
service those persons who are fit to serve the government 
in the particular department to which the examinations 
relate. The same set of questions would not apply to ex¬ 
aminations for letter carriers, weighers, post office clerks, 
custom house clerks, and department clerks. 

It rnay not be out of place here to give a brief sketch of 
the causes leading to the adoption of the present mode of 
selecting appointees for the government service. 

It is manifest that in a government which requires over 
100,000 men to administer it, no one man can personally 
know, appoint on their merits, supervise the performance 
of their duties, and for sufficient cause remove all the 
officers. 

During General Jackson’s administration a new rule was 
adopted, with the workings of which we are all familiar, 
and the evils ot which most deplored. For the purpose of 
remedying these evils, Congress, in 1853 and 1855, passed 
laws requiring examinations for admission into the public 
service; but these laws proved inadequate. In his message 
to Congress in 1870, General Grant urged the adoption of a 
new system, and in 1871 Congress passed an act authorizing 
the President to make regulations for the admission of per¬ 
sons into the civil service of the United States, and to 
employ suitable persons to conduct the necessary enquiries 
and examinations. An appropriation was made for two 
years, and a system of competitive examinations was insti¬ 
tuted, which was applied to promotions as well as to original 
admissions to the public service. In April, 1874, General 
Grant sent a message to Congress, approved by every mem¬ 
ber of his Cabinet, in which the following statements were 
made of the results of such competitive examinations. • 

“(!)• They have, on an average, where examinations 


5 


apply, given persons of superior capacity and character to 
the service of the government, and have tended to exclude 
unworthy applicants. 

“ (2). They have developed more energy in the discharge 
t)f duty, and more ambition to acquire information connected 
with official functions on the part of those in the service. 

“ (3). They have diminished the unreasonable solicitation 
and pressure which numerous applicants and their friends, 
competing for appointments, have before brought to bear 
upon the departments in the direction of favoritism. 

“ (4). They have, especially where competition applies , relieved 
the heads of departments and of bureaus, to a large extent, 
of the necessity of devoting to persons soliciting place for 
themselves or for others, time which was needed for official 
duties. 

“ (5). They have made it more practicable to dismiss from 
the service those who came in under the civil service exami¬ 
nations, when not found worthy, than it was or is to dismiss 
the like unworthy persons who had been introduced into 
the service through favor or dictation. 

“ (6). They have diminished the intrigue and pressure, 
before too frequent, for causing the removal of worthy per¬ 
sons for the mere purpose of bringing other, perhaps inferior, 
persons into the service.” 

In his message of December 7, 1874, President Grant 
again appealed to Congress for an appropriation of $25,000 
to carry this beneficial system into effect, but he appealed 
in vain. The result was that competitive examinations, 
open to every citizen, and in which the most worthy only 
could win appointments, were suspended. 

President Hayes, in his two last annual messages, vainly 
requested appropriations for the purpose of re-establishing 
the competitive examinations. 

James A. Garfield, in an article in the Atlantic Monthly 
for July, 1877, stated: “ One-third of the working hours 
of Senators and Representatives is hardly sufficient to meet 
the demands made upon them in reference to appointments 
to office. The present system * * * impairs 

the efficiency of the legislators ; * * * it de¬ 
grades the civil service; * * * it repels, from 

the service those high and manly qualities which are so 
necessary to a pure and efficient administration ; and finally, 
it debauches the public mind by holding up public office as 
the reward of mere party zeal. To reform this service is 


6 


one of the highest and most imperative duties of states¬ 
manship.” 

In his inaugural address President Garfield said : “ The 

civil service can never be placed on a satisfactory basis until 
it is regulated by law,” and announced his intention of 
asking Congress, at the proper time, “ to fix the tenure of 
the minor offices of the several executive departments, and 
to prescribe the grounds upon which removals shall be 
made during the terms for which incumbents have been 
appointed. 

In his first message to Congress, Dec. 6, 1882, President 
Arthur said : “ In my letter accepting the nomination for 

the Vice Presidency, I stated that, in my judgment, ‘no 
man should be the incumbent of an office the duties of 
which he is for any cause unfit to perform; who is lacking 
in the ability, fidelity or integrity which a proper adminis¬ 
tration of such office demands. 5 

“ This sentiment would doubtless meet with general acqui- 
escene, but opinion has been widely divided upon the wis¬ 
dom and practicability of the various reformatory schemes 
which have been suggested and of certain proposed regula¬ 
tions governing appointments to public office. * * 

It seems to me that the rules which should be applied to 
the management of the public service may properly con¬ 
form in the main to such as regulate the conduct of suc¬ 
cessful private business. 

“ Original appointments should be based upon ascertained 
fitness. The tenure of office should be stable. Positions 
of responsibility should, as far as practicable, be filled by 
the promotion of worthy and efficient officers. The inves¬ 
tigation of all complaints, and the punishment of all official 
misconduct should be prompt and thorough. 

“ The views expressed in the foregoing letter are those 
which will govern my administration of the executive office. 
* * * If Congress should deem it advisable at 

the present session to establish competitive tests for admission 
to the service, no doubts such as have been suggested shall 
deter me from giving the measure my earnest support. 55 

The system of competitive examinations has been adopted 
by Congress and is now to be placed upon trial before the 
people; all that its friends ask is that the trial be fair and 
unprejudiced, and that by its fruits alone shall it be judged. 


7 


THE EXAMINATION. 


There is a great deal more included under the various 
heads in this work than will be embraced in any one set of 
examination papers, and any candidate who masters what is 
here given, thoroughly, and familiarizes himself with the 
“ Hints to Applicants” need have no fear of the result. 
Four to six weeks careful study of the questions herein 
given will suffice to prepare any person of average intelli¬ 
gence and a fair English education to pass successfully any 
examination that will be presented by the Civil Service 
examiners. Idiots and dunces will derive no benefit from 
these pages, as these examinations are especially intended 
to prevent their securing positions in the public service. 

The gentleman who prepared these questions has passed 
a number of examinations, both in the Civil and Military 
Service, and to-day holds a prominent position under the 
government, solely upon his merits. 

ARITHMETICAL. 

Write in figures the following numbers: 

Five thousand and two. 

Sixty-two thousand five hundred and three. 

Seven hundred thousand and three. 

r Three hundred and twenty-one millions, one thousand 
arid six. 

Seven millions and fifty. 

Seventy-five million, two hundred and four thousand, six 
hundred and three. 

One thousand and three, and decimal three ten-thousandths. 

Twenty-three millions and twenty-one, and decimal 
twenty-three ten thousandths. 

One hundred and three, and decimal two-thousandths. 

Ten thousand, and decimal two-hundredths. 

One hundred thousand and one hundred-thousandth. 

Write at length the numbers expressed by the following 
figures: 


8 


500,500. 

68,759,205. 

83,308. 

300,001,001. 

4,002,010. 

23,201,302. 

110 , 110 . 110 . 

2,004.204. 

. 021 . 

40,001.3201. 

133.4001. 

26,204.3051. 


Add the following column of figures 

37,640,787.95 

109,741,134.10 

209,464,215.25 

309,226,813.42 

266,027,537.43 

191,087,589.41 

158,356,460.86 

311,533.83 

194,572.32 

24,709.46 

118,248.30 

92,718.50 

150,476.14 

103,880.82 

149,004.15 

175,111.81 

193,636.59 

269,803,41 

315,022.36 

205,217.87' 

379,558.23 

384,720.19 

445,485.18 

464,546.52 

427,124.98 

337,032.62 

315,783.47 

457,919.66 


9 


What is the interest on $12,500,000 for five months and 
twenty-three days, at 6 per cent, a year? 

The Treasury Department bought on contract 350 reams 
of foolscap paper, at $3.83J per ream, 45J reams of which 
were returned as unsuitable, and 275 reams of letter, at 
$2.67J per ream, 31J reams of which were rejected. How 
much was paid for the remainder? 

A man loaned another a 1 sum of money, payable in five 
months, with interest at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum, 
and at the end of that time received $666.25 in return. 
How much did he loan ? 

Five persons having claims against the Government, 
placed their claims in the hands of an agent for collection; 
A ? s claim amounted to $500, B’s to $425, C’s to $300, D’s 
to $250 and E’s to $175; but, after the agent had deducted 
his fees, there was but $1,237.50 left. How much did each 
claimant receive ? 

A quartermaster bought 280 cords of hard wood at $6.75, 
and 790 cords of soft wood at $3.62J per cord. Also, 750 
bushels of corn at 62} cents, and 925 bushels oats at 37} 
cents per bushel. What was paid for the whole, and what was 
the average price of wood per cord, and of the grain per 
bushel? 

The cost price of beef is Ilf cents per pound, and of 
flour 3} cents per pound. One pound and four ounces of 
beef and one pound and six ounces of flour are allowed to 
a ration. How much will 617 rations cost at the above 
rates ? 

What amount of gold must be sold at 14} premium to 
purchase $750 in United States bonds at a premium of 
12J? 

The Treasurer sells for the Interior Department certain 
State bonds at 76}, and purchases with the proceeds exactly 
$24,500 in United States bonds at a premium of 14}. What 
is the face value of the bonds sold ? 

The legal tender circulation of the United States is $356,- 
500,000. What is the amount of its depreciation relatively 
to gold, when gold is at a premium of 14} ? 

$4,483.43 T 3 o is the simple interest on $143,215.25, at 7 
per cent.'per annum, for what time, reckoning 360 days to 
the year ? 

The population of the United States is about 38,500,000— 
of the Eastern States, about 3,500,000; of the Middle States, 
about 8,900,000; of the Southern States, including the 


10 


District of Columbia, about 9,100,000; and of the Western 
States and Territories, about 17,000,000. The amount of 
national currency authorized by law is $354,000,000. If 
the apportionment should be made on the basis of popula¬ 
tion alone, to how much national bank circulation would 
each section be entitled ? 

A bank offers to discount a note of $101,515.62^, payable 
three months after date, for either six per cent, bank dis¬ 
count, or six and one-sixteenth per cent, true discount. 
Which is the better offer, and how much would be saved by 
accepting it in preference to the other ? 

A quartermaster purchased 20 tons of hay, at $10.50 per 
ton; 1,575 pounds of corn, at 87J cents per bushel, (56 
pounds to the bushel;) 1,956 pounds of oats, at 37f cents 
per bushel, (32 pounds the bushel;) and 10,247 feet of lum¬ 
ber, at $15.62J per thousand feet. What was the total cost 
of the purchase ? 

A quartermaster bought lOf cords of wood at one time, 
and 24-| cords at another. After issuing 16|- cords, how 
much remained ? 

A quartermaster bought 11J cords of wood at one time, 
and 24| cords at another. After issuing 15£ cords how much 
remained ? 

A quartermaster purchased 215 j cords of wood at $2.75 
per cord at one time, and 95J cords at $2.37Jper cord at 
another. He afterwards issued 120§ cords. How much did 
the wood cost, and how much remained on hand ? 

A. quartermaster bought 875 cavalry jackets at $6,625 
each; 912 caps at $8.75 each; and 1,000 pairs of trowsers, 
at $4.3125 a pair. He issued .875 of each. What was the 
total cost, and how many of each remained on hand? Give 
the operation and result in decimal fractions. 

A quartermaster paid for transporting 131,215 pounds of 
hard bread a distance of 81 miles, 2f cents per ton per mile; 
513 enlisted men 163 miles, 2J cents per mile for each man. 
He also paid $500 per day for the use of a steamer from 
May 3, to September 2, 1864, (both days inclusive.) What 
was the total amount of the payments? 

A commissary of subsistence about to change quarters, 
and being compelled to dispose of 126f bushels of wheat, 
sold | of the same at $2£ a bushel and the remainder at$lf 
a bushel. How much did he receive for his wheat? 

A commissary of subsistence wishes to purchase an equal 
quantity of wheat, corn and rye; he pays for the wheat 


11 


$2.22J a bushel; for the corn, 98f cents a bushel; and for 
the rye, $1.16f a bushel. How many bushels of each can 
he buy for $242,979? 

A commissary of subsistence bought 200 barrels of pork, 
at $15.62f per barrel; 237 boxes of hard bread, each weigh¬ 
ing 25 pounds, at 6f cents per pound; and 570 pounds of 
coffee, at 4J cents per pound. How much did he pay for 
the whole, and how much remained on hand, after issuing 
f of each ? 

A commissary of subsistence bought 198,785 pounds of 
bacon, at 13.5 cents per pound; 98,000 pounds of flour, at 
$14,375 per barrel (196 pounds to the barrel;) 19,800 pounds 
of coflee, at 37.5 cents per pound ; and 497 gallons of vine¬ 
gar, at 44.75 cents per gallon. What was the total cost of 
the purchase ? Give the operation and result in decimal frac¬ 
tions. 

The quartermaster at Leavenworth, Kansas, purchased 
75,000 pounds of corn, at 31f cents per bushel, (56 pounds 
to the bushel;) 32,113 pounds of oats, at 32J cents per bush¬ 
el, (32 pounds to the bushel;) and 79,500 pounds of hay, at 
$22.37J per ton, (2,000 pounds to the ton.) What was the 
total cost of the purchase? 

How much gold must be sold at 114f to purchase $213,- 
350 in U. S. bonds at 115| ? 

If the premium on gold is 15f, what amount of gold must 
one sell to pay a note of $150 in currency? 

What is the interest on $156,000 for 8J months at 6 per 
cent, a year ? 

What is the interest on $150,580 for nine months and 
eleven days, at 7 per cent, a year ? 

The Treasury Department sold for $2,240 a lot of building 
material for which it paid $3,360. What was the per cent- 
age of loss on the cost price ? 

What would be the interest at 9 per cent, per annum, on 
$11,823.32 for 7 months and 13 days? 

IIow much will $473.21 gain in 5 years, 7 months and 21 
days, at 8 per cent, per annum, simple interest? 

Calvin Hale pays $7,350 for Indian goods worth $6,345 at 
gold prices. ?What is the premium on gold; what is gold 
worth in currency; and what is currency worth in gold? 

A disbursing officer deposited in the Treasury $23,914.59, 
having retained If per cent, on the amount collected. What 
amount did he collect ? 

On a promissory note which has run 3 years, 7 months 


12 


and 7 days, at the rate of 7per cent, per annum, $126.09f| in¬ 
terest has accrued. What is the amount of the note, reckon¬ 
ing 360 days to the year? 

A consul has due him a balance of $475, for which he 
desires to draw on London, exchange being at the rate of 
5 per cent, loss on the face of his draft. For what amount 
of sterling money must he draw in order to realize the bal¬ 
ance due him, the pound sterling being valued at $4 t 8 qV 

A consul at a salary of $1,500 per annum renders his account 
from June 20, 1872, to Sept. 30, 1872, both days inclusive, 
and credits $217 x 8 o 3 o fees received by him during the said 
period. For what amount is he entitled to draw, exchange 
being at the rate of 3J per cent, loss on the face of his 
draft? 

An officer of the Treasury Department collected $17,850, 
and deposited $17,493 in the Treasury, retaining the re¬ 
mainder as his commission. What was the rate per cent, 
of the commission on the amount collected? Write the 
answer in words. 

What amount is due a mail contractor for the quarter 
ending December 31, contract pay $725 per annum, pay de¬ 
creased $369 per annum from November 1, and increased 
$248 per annum from November 16 ? 

The Government in purchasing land for a park, bought 
56 acres of wood land at $46.34J per acre; 176 acres of 
meadow land at $59.46J per acre; and 37 acres of low land 
at $13.83J per acre. What was the area of the land; what 
its cost; and what the average price per acre? 

What is the amount of duty chargeable on 2,465J pounds 
of wool, valued at $625.75, when the rate of duty is 10 
cents per pound and 11 per cent, ad valorem ? 

The duty on Brussels carpets, wrought by the Jacquard 
machine, is 44 cents per square yard, and in addition thereto 
35 per cent, ad valorem. What would be the entire 
amount of duty chargeable on a roll measuring 2 feet 10 
inches wide, 40 yards long, and valued at $1.50 per yard? 

The duty on certain glass plates being 35 cents per 
square foot, give the duty chargeable on 316 boxes, each 
box containing 20 plates, and each plate being 24 inches by 
30 inches ? 

On a certain invoice of 34,216 pounds of pepper there 
are discounts for damage as follows: 12 per cent, on 6,190 
pounds, 8 per cent, on 6,438 pounds, and 5 per cent, on 


13 


9,632 pounds. After deducting the discount, what would 
be the duty on the remainder at 5 cents per pound? 

The duty on burlaps is 35 per cent, ad valorem. What 
is the amount chargeable on a bale containing 50 webs, 
each being 40 yards and 16 inches long and 27 inches wide, 
and valued at 30 cents per square yard ? 

The duty on spool thread of cotton, containing 100 yards 
to the spool, is 6 cents per dozen spools, and in addition 
thereto 30 per cent, ad valorem. What is the amount 
chargeable on 11,153 spools, valued at 3 cents a spool ? 

If the duty on a lot of sugar weighing 1,639,728 pounds 
is 2} cents per pound, and there is a discount of 7J per 
cent, allowed for damage, what amount of duty must be 
paid ? 

The rate of.duty on certain wine being one dollar per 
gallon, and twenty-five per cent, ad valorem, and three 
cents on each bottle, give the total duty on 839 bottles (each 
containing one quart) and costing $2.93 per gallon. 

The duty on proof brandy is $2 per gallon, and in pro¬ 
portion for greater strength. What is the duty on brandy 
of 70° strength, on a scale of 50° ? 

From a kilogram (1,000 grams) of pure gold may be 
coined 279 of the newly established standard 10-mark pieces 
of Germany. The standard gold dollar of the United States 
contains of pure gold, 23 x 2 0 2 o troy grains. A gram is equiv¬ 
alent to 15.432349 troy grains. What is the intrinsic value 
of the German mark (the new unit of account for the Ger¬ 
man empire,) expressed in terms of the United States gold 
dollar and its decimal subdivisions? 

The standard gold dollar of the United States contains 
nine parts of pure gold and one part of alloy, and weighs 
25.8 grains troy. How many grains of gold and alloy re¬ 
spectively, are required for the coinage of 6,983 gold 
dollars ? 

The weight of the U. S. gold double-eagle is 1.075 ounces 
troy. The intrinsic value of standard gold is 15 T 6 o times 
that of an equal w T eight of standard silver, and the weight 
of a silver dollar is .859375 ounces troy. What is the in¬ 
trinsic value of the silver dollar expressed in terms of the 
gold dollar and its decimal subdivisions; and what is the 
gold Value of an ounce of standard silver? 

A person owning $12,000 in U. S. bonds wishes to convert 
them into bank stock. The bank stock is at a discount of 
3J per cent, while the bonds are at a premium of 14J per 


14 


cent. What amount of stock, at par value can he purchase, 
allowing the broker’s charges for the purchase to be f per 
cent.? 

The U. S. gold double-eagle has a weight of 516 grains 
troy, and the smaller gold coins proportionate weights ac¬ 
cording to their value. A pound avoirdupois is equivalent 
to 7,000 grains troy. What is the avoirdupois weight of 
100,000 double-eagles, 26,000 eagles, 10,000 half-eagles, 
4,000 quarter-eagles, and 1,983 gold dollars? 

The rate paid by the Treasury Department for the trans¬ 
portation of gold coin under the Government contract with 
the Adams Express Company is one quarter of a cent a 
mile for each $1,000 for distances over 500 miles. The 
rate paid for the transportation of silver coin is twice that 
paid for the transportation of gold. What would be the 
cost of transporting $433,000 in gold coin and $87,000 in 
silver coin from New Orleans to New York, the distance 
being 1,492 miles? 

The U. S. consul at Mazatlan, Mexico, being indebted to 
the United States $308.56 on account of surplus fees, for¬ 
wards to the Treasury a bill of exchange on a Mexican 
bank for that amount, to cash which the Department is 
obliged to pay } per cent, on its face. How much does he 
still owe the United States, and for what amount should the 
bill have been drawn in order to net the Government the 
amount due ? 

In a county embracing a population of 97,213 persons, a 
tax is levied for town, county and State purposes, amount¬ 
ing to $100,406. Of this sum, a part is to be raised by a tax 
of 20 cents on each poll (or person), and the remainder by 
atax of two milk on the dollar. What was the amount of 
the property on the tax list? 

A cord of wood is 8 feet long, 4 feet broad and 4 feet 
high. What is a pile of wood 19 feet long, 11 feet 5 inches 
high, and 8 feet 7 inches broad worth, at $5.62f per cord? 

The United States engineer at New York, advertised for 
proposals for dredging 22,340 cubic yards of earth from the 
harbor. How much would it cost to perform the work at 
Ilf cents per cubic foot ? 

What is the value of 500 sheets of copper, weighing 20 
oz. avoidupois per square foot, measuring 48 inches long 
by 15 inches wide, and worth $150 per ton of 2,240 pounds? 

A merchant imported 120 tons of English iron, costing 
If pence per pound, on which he paid a duty of twenty per 


15 


cent. The freight was five shillings sterling per ton. What 
was the total cost in U. S. currency? (The ton weighs 2,- 
240 pounds. The £ sterling is worth $4.8665.) 

A piece of silk exceeds § of a yard in width by f of an 
inch ; what is its actual width ? 

An importer sold part of a cargo of tea at 90 cents a 
pound, and made a profit of 20 per cent, on the cost price. 
He sold the rest at $1.10 a pound. What per cent, did he 
make on the last sale ? 

A goldsmith melts together 12 ounces of gold 22 carats 
fine, 60 ounces 20 carats fine, and 24 ounces 14 carats fine. 
He sold it at the rate of $16 per ounce of pure gold, (24 
carats fine.) What was its fineness, and what was the 
amount received ? 


ACCOUNTS. 

Make statements of the following accounts in frames sim¬ 
ilar to the form given below. All balances must be carried 
forward. 



John Smith is a disbursing agent of the United States. 
January 1, 1872, there is in his hands $11,870.63. Febru¬ 
ary 1, he pays out $3,220.34, on which he is entitled to a 
commission of 1| per cent. March 1, he receives $3,750.87. 
May 1, he pays out $3,795.01 on which he is entitled to a 
commission of 2J per cent. 

A collector on the 1st of January, 1871, was indebted to 
United States to the amount of $928.50. An advance of 
$420 was made to him. He paid out on account of salaries 
of employes $628.50; contingent expenses $42.31; for his 
own salary $62.50 ; and for commissions, 2J per cent, on 
$2,400. 











16 


James Smith commenced business January 1, 1871, as- 
agent for Henry Brown, with a cash capital of $10,000. 
He bought of John Jones, for cash, 600 barrels of flour at 
$10 per barrel, and of Thomas Miller 1,800 bushels of oats 
at 60 cents per bushel, for which he gave his note for three 
months, with interest at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum; 
and of John Doe, for cash, 6,000 bushels of corn at 75- 
cents per bushel. He sold to George Thompson, for cash, 
515 bushels of oats at 63 cents per bushel; to James Day, 
Feb. 1, 1871, 313 barrels of flour at $10.51 per barrel, to be 
paid for in 5 months, with interest at the rate of 7 per 
cent, per annum; to Henry Johnson, February 15, 1871 r 
500 bushels of corn at 77 cents per bushel, to be paid for in 
four months, with interest at the rate of 8 per cent, per 
annum; and to Philip Tucker, June 30, 1871, 100 barrels 
of flour at $10.25 per barrel, cash. All of the notes were 
paid at maturity. Make a statement of James Smith’s ac¬ 
count with Henry Brown as it stood after the last trans¬ 
action. 

Thomas Jones is a disbursing oflicer of the United States. 
On the 1st of January, 1872, there was advanced to him 
$6,000; on the 1st of April, 1872, $2,500; on the 15th of 
May, 1872, $1,761; and on the 1st of June, 1872, $550.59. 
He has made disbursements to the amount of $10,156. On 
$5,000 he is entitled to a commission of § per cent.; on 
$3,000 to a commission of f per cent.; and on the remain¬ 
der to a commission of 1 per cent. 

A certain merchant, John Bond, borrowed of William. 
Thompson, a fellow merchant, on January 29, 1870, 1,638' 
gallons of brandy, worth $3.50 per gallon, to be paid by 
brandy of similar value, but 10 per cent, to be added for 
such amount as was not repaid within one year. Brown 
made such repayments, as follows: 118 gallons on July 
10,1870; 410 gallons on November 15, 1870; 290 gallons- 
on January 28,1871; 310 gallons on February 13, 1871;, 
and 285 gallons on April 25, 1871. State the account as it 
stood after the last installment. 

BOOK-KEEPING. 

What are the distinctive features of book-keeping by 
double-entry ? 

What books are required and what are the functions of 
each ? 

What is meant by journalizing a day-book entry ? 


17 


Give the journal entry on the books of James Smith of 
the following transaction : 

October 9, 1873, James Smith bought of Thomas Brown 
merchandise to the amount of $2,350, of which he paid 
$1,000 in cash, the remainder being charged to him on 
Brown's books. 

Memoranda: John Jones, Grocer. 

1874. 

Jan. 11. Began business with cash, $3,500. 

44 44 Bo’t 110 bbls. flour at $8. 

“ 12. Sold Colt & Wilson, 20 bbls. at $8.50 cash. 

“ 44 Paid for set of books, $15. 

44 13. Bo’t of William Gray, 10 bales cotton on account, 

$ 1 , 000 . 

44 14. Sold Spencer & Bro., 50 bbls. flour at $10. 

44 15. Bo’t of G. Jones, 95 bbls. flour at $9. 

44 16. Bo’t 10 bags of Rio, $70. 

44 18. Repairs of store, $15. 

44 44 Bo’t 10 bbls. sugar at 20 cts., (200 lbs. each.) 

44 19. Paid drayage, $3. 

44 44 Paid Wm. Gray on account, $200. 

44 20. Sold factory 9 bales of cotton, $1,200. 

44 21. Sold Brown & Son 40 bbls. flour, at $10.50. 

44 22. Sold Packard & Co. 8 bbls. sugar on account, at 

22 cts 

44 23. Sold factory 65 bbls. flour, at $10. 

44 25. Received from Rockwell on account, $150. 

44 26. Sold Spencer & Bro. 10 bbls. flour, at $10. 

44 27. Sold Brown & Son 5 bags Rio, $65. 

44 28. Paid Wm. Gray on account, $750. 

44 29. Paid clerk to Feb. 1, $30. 

44 30. Paid rent 44 44 44 $66. 

44 4 4 Bo’t hhd. bacon, $410. 

1. Make inventory of merchandise unsold January 31, 
1874, at rates of sales. 

2. Make balance account, indicating 44 resources,” 44 lia¬ 
bilities,” and 44 gain.” 

HISTORY. 

■ When and by whom was America discovered? 
v When and by what body was the Declaration of Inde¬ 
pendence adopted ? 

Who commanded the American army during the revolu¬ 
tionary war ? 


18 


Name the first four Presidents of the United States. 

When and where was the first battle of the Revolution 
fought ? 

When and where did the first Continental Congress- 
meet ? 

When and where did the surrender of General Lee take 
place ? 

Who was the fifth President of the United States? 

Name the Presidents of the United States in their order, 
/ Who commanded the American, and who the British 
force at Yorktown in 1781 ? 

/Who commanded the American, and who the British 
army, at New Orleans, January 8, 1815? 

What French nobleman was actively engaged in our 
revolutionary war? 

Who were General Arnold and Major Andre? 

What was the cause of the war of 1812 ? 

In what year did the war between the United States and 
Mexico begin ? 

Who commanded the American army during the Mexican 
war ? 

When was the first permanent settlement made in the 
United States ? 

In what year was the battle of Bunker Hill fought ? 

Who was President of the United States during the 
Mexican war? 

What nation assisted the Americans during the revolu¬ 
tionary war? 

What were the causes of the late Rebellion ? 

Who was President of the United States during the war 
of 1812? 

Who was the reputed author of the Declaration of Inde¬ 
pendence ? 

Who were Patrick Henry and Benjamin Franklin ? 

Where was the first great battle of the late rebellion 
fought ? 

Who was the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United 
States ? 

What was the proceeding known as “ the removal of the 
deposits,” and in the administration of what President did 
it occur ? 

Of what nationality were the first settlers of New York 
city ? 


19 


What Presidents have been elected for two terms of 
office ? 

To what nation did Louisiana belong previous to its cession 
to the United States ? 

Who was the reputed discoverer of the Mississippi river ? 

What tw T o noted Polish generals fought for this country 
during the Revolutionary war ? 

Who commanded the Mexican army when the city of 
Mexico w T as taken by General Scott ? 

What Vice Presidents have served out the unexpired 
terms of Presidents ? 

Who discovered the Hudson river, and from whom did it 
take its name ? 

Who commanded the American fleet at the battle of 
Lake Erie during the war of 1812 ? 

Who commanded the American, and who the British, 
army at the battle of Saratoga, during the Revolutionary 
war ? 

During what war did Braddock’s defeat take place ? 

What nation disputed with England the mastery of the 
western continent previous to the Revolutionary war ? 

With what nation of Africa did the United States main¬ 
tain a naval war in 1815? 

Where was the first permanent English settlement made 
in the United States ? 

Name the thirteen original colonies. 

When was the second war between this country and 
Great Britain declared, and for what reason ? 

During what war did the battle of Buena Vista take place? 

What American general was killed at the battle of Bun¬ 
ker Hill ? 

What States seceded from the Union in the late civil war ? 

When was Abraham Lincoln assassinated? 

Who was the first Vice President of the United States ? 

When and bj^ whom was Vicksburg taken ? 

When was the battle of Gettysburg fought? 

Where was George Washington inaugurated as President 
of the United States? 

What States did Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun 
represent in the United States Senate ? 

From what nation was Florida purchased by the United 
States ? 

What event during the rebellion nearly led to a war be¬ 
tween Great Britain and the United States? 


20 


Name two or more battles that occurred during the Mex¬ 
ican war. 

Name seven or more former Presidents of the United 
States. 

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence and in what 
city was it issued ? 

What was the cause of the war between the United States 
and Mexico? Name two or more American generals who 
took part in it. 

Name two or more battles that took place during the last 
war with Great Britain. 

What was the last battle of the seven days’ conflict in 
1862 ? 

How long did John Quincy Adams hold the position of 
President ? 

Who commanded the Union forces at the battle of Chan- 
cellorsville ? 

Who were the two most successful explorers of Africa? 

Name four or more of the most important battles of the 
late Rebellion. 

Name four or more of the important battles of the Ameri¬ 
can Revolution. 

When did the “ landing of the Pilgrims ” take place ? 

Name the ex-Presidents of the United States now living. 

What important battles were fought during the rebellion 
on the soil of Tennessee? 

Where did Lord Cornwallis surrender to General Wash¬ 
ington ? 

What three Presidents of the United States served as offi¬ 
cers of the United States Army during the Mexican war? 

Who was Vice President during the administration of 
James K. Polk? 


GEOGRAPHY. 

How many States and how many Territories are there in 
the United States? 

Bound the State or Territory of which you are a resident, 
and name it>-oapital and principal rivers. 

Mention the State or Territory in v T hich each of the fol¬ 
lowing towms is situated: Tucson, Santa Fe, Olympia, 
Charleston, Carson City, Boise City and Denver. 

Where is the island of San Juan, and to what nation does . 
it belong ? 

Name the States of the Union, giving the Eastern, the 


21 


Middle, the Southern, the Western, and the Pacific States 
separately. 

What are the grand divisions of the earth ? 

Bound the United States. 

Where is the Chesapeake Bay ? 

What are the geographical divisions of America ? 

Where is Delaware Bay ? 

What States border on the Gulf of Mexico? 

Name three of the principal mountain ranges of the Uni¬ 
ted States, and the three largest rivers. 

Which is the largest State in the Union and which 
the smallest? 

What chain of lakes forms part of the northern boun¬ 
dary of the United States ? 

What States border on the Pacific Ocean ? 

What States border on Lake Erie ? 

What States border on the Atlantic Ocean ? 

Name the New England States. 

Through what States would you pass, in a journey by 
railroad, by the most direct line, from Washington to New 
York City? 

Through what States would we pass in going from New 
York City to Chicago by the most direct line of rail¬ 
road ? _ 

What river forms part of the boundary between the 
United States and Mexico? 

Where are the Green Mountains ? 

Where is Lake Champlain? 

What two ranges of mountains are there in California? 

What Lake forms part of the boundary between New 
York and Vermont? 

What river forms the boundary between Vermont and 
New Hampshire? 

In what State does the Mississippi River rise and 

where does it empty ? , 

In the following list, state which are sea-ports and which 
are inland cities : Albany, Charleston, (S. C.,) Raleigh, At¬ 
lanta, Portland and Hartford. . 

In the following list, state which are sea-ports and which 
inland cities : Boston, Tallahassee, Baton Rouge, Saint Au¬ 
gustine, Nashville, Syracuse and Des Moines. 

What rivers unite and form the Ohio? . . 

What are the principal tributaries of the Mississippi 

River ? 


22 


Name the States and Territories lying on the northern 
frontier of the United States, extending from the Atlantic 
to the Pacific Ocean. 

In the following list, state which are rivers and which 
lakes: Missouri, Ponchartrain, Erie, Ohio, Colorado and 
Champlain. 

Through what rivers, lakes and gulf do the waters of 
Lake Superior pass on their way to the Atlantic Ocean? 

Name the capitals of Indiana, Tennessee, Vermont, 
Michigan and Ohio. 

Name the capitals of the following States: Ohio, Lou¬ 
isiana, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Iowa, Kentucky and 
Oregon. 

Name three or more cities located on the Mississippi 
River. 

What large lakes are on the Northern and western boun¬ 
daries of the State of New York ? 

What two rivers unite to form the Ohio River, and 
where does it empty? 

Name three or more large cities in Germany. 

Name four large rivers in the United States. 

Name the States bordering on the Ohio River. 

Name the States in which each of the following cities is 
located: Vicksburg, Atlanta, Mobile, Peoria, Milwaukee. 

Name a city in each of the following States : Ohio, 
Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Connecticut, Georgia, 
Iowa. 

Name a city or large town in each of the following coun¬ 
tries : Spain, Turkey, Germany, France, Belgium. 

Name an important city in each State of the Union. 

Name the great lakes and the rivers connecting them. 

Name the principal foreign and domestic ports on the 
Gulf of Mexico. 

What large rivers flow into the Gulf of Mexico, west of 
the Mississippi ? 


GOVERNMENT. 

Can either House of Congress adjourn without the con¬ 
sent of the other ? 

Under what circumstances may the privilege of the writ 
of habeas corpus be constitutionally suspended ? 

To whom is the power to coin money delegated, and to 
whom denied by the Constitution ? 


23 


How only can money be constitutionally drawn from the 
Treasury ? 

Where must bills for raising the revenue of the United 
States originate ? 

What only, under the Constitution, can the States make 
a legal-tender in payment of debts ? 

What officer is commander-in-chief of the army and Navy 
of the United States ? 

How many United States Senators is each State entitled 
to, and how and for what length of time are they elected ? 

Does the Constitution authorize Congress to pass laws for 
the establishment of any religion ? 

What proportion of the States is required to ratify an 
amendment to the Constitution ? 

After a bill, passed by Congress, has been vetoed by the 
President, can it become a law? If so, in what manner? 

Describe the duties of the Vice-President of the United 
States. 

Who administers the oath to the President on entering 
upon the duties of his office? 

What form of government is that of the United States? 
England ? llussia ? 

To what branch of the Government does the Constitution 
give the right to declare war against a foreign nation ? 

What does the writ of habeas corpus authorize an officer 
to do ? 

What are letters of marque and reprisal ? 

For what causes may the President of the United States 
be removed from office ? 

What persons are eligible to the office of President? 

State some of the powers conferred on the President by 
the Constitution. 

What limitation is there to the power of the President to 
grant pardons ? 

How many justices of the Supreme Court are there, and 
who is Chief Justice ? 

What body tries the President in case of impeachment ? 

Is the Vice-President authorized to act as President dur¬ 
ing.the temporary absence of the President? 

Is the Vice-President ever entitled to a vote in the Sen¬ 
ate ? If so, when ? 

Is a person of foreign birth eligible to the office of Presi¬ 
dent or Vice-President ? 

Whom does the Constitution authorize to make treaties 

of p t eace ? 

1 


24 


By what instrument or fundamental law was the United 
States governed previously to the adoption of the Constitu¬ 
tion ? 

Into what three co-ordinate branches is the Government 
of the United States divided ? 

What age is required to make a person eligible as Presi¬ 
dent of the United States ? 

Who presides over the Senate during the trial of the 
President on impeachment ? 

Which branch of Congress has the sole power of impeach¬ 
ment? 

What punishment, if any, is inflicted i n case of conviction 
on impeachment ? 

Is the President authorized ever to adjourn both Houses 
of Congress; and, if so, under what circumstances? 

How ma}' the Constitution be amended ? 

What is the highest judicial tribunal in the United States ? 

When is the electoral vote cast ? 

What are Congressmen-at-large, and how are they elected ? 

How is the President of the United States chosen ? 

On what principle must direct taxes be apportioned 
among the several States? 

What is the provision of the Constitution by which 
authority is conferred on Congress to lay and collect internal 
taxes ? 

Are the judges of the Supreme Court of the United States 
appointed or elected ? 

Can a foreign-born citizen be elected United States Sena¬ 
tor ? 

In what countries does republican, or partly republican,, 
government prevail at the present time ? 

By what authority may post routes and post oflices be 
established ? 

SYNTAX. 

Correct the following sentences: 

John regards neither the master nor the pupil’s advan¬ 
tage. 

These are the men w T hom, you might suppose, were authors 
of the work. 

Neither wealth or honor can secure the happiness of their 
votaries. 

The rapidity of his movements were beyond example. 

These sort of men cannot give account of their faith. 



25 


The difference between him and I is not very great. 

Does that boy know who he speaks to ? 

He was exceeding careful not to give offense. 

Every member of the company but he were present. 

We lay down our burdens and then laid down ourselves. 

Leave the papers lay where I have lain them. 

The difference between he and me is not very great. 

There have been several financial crisises in this country. 

Discount is quite a different thing than premium. 

You was paid to fight against Alexander, not to rail at 
him. 

The mechanism of clocks and watches were totally un¬ 
known. 

It was not him that did it, it was I. 

She reads proper, writes very neatly, and composes accu¬ 
rate. 

The natural distinction of sex in animals give rise to what 
in grammar is called genders. 

A mothers tenderness and a fathers care are natures gifts 
for mans advantage. 

Every one must judge of their own feelings. 

The happy effects of this fable is worth attending to. 

The arrows of calumny fall harmlessly at the feet of virtue. 

Which dictionary do you prefer, Worcester or Webster’s ? 

Some systems, so far from making men better, have a 
tendency to make him worse. 

He instructed and fed the crowds who surrounded him. 

Poverty and obscurity will oppress him only who esteem 
it oppressive. 

Everybody trembled for themselves or their friends. 

Some men are like so many puppets who are moved by 
wires. 

John the Baptist came neither eating bread or drinking 
wine. 

What is the student who I gave the book to, and whom, 
I am persuaded, deserves it? 

How does this mans definitions stand affected ? 

Each day and each hour bring their portion of study. 

Neither Virgil or Homer are deficient in grandeur of 
style. 

Neither history nor tradition furnish such information. 

There is no data by which it can be estimated. 

What sounds have each of the vowels. 

He is the strongest of the two but not the wisest. 


26 


What signifies good opinions unless they are attended by 
good conduct ? 

They live conformable to the rules of prudence. 

He cannot be above six foot two inches high. 

Who do you think me to be? 

Hence naturally arise indifference or aversion between 
the parties. 

There seems to be no other words required. 

All debts are cleared between you and I. 

He came agreeable to his promise and conducted him¬ 
self suitable to the occasion. 

Neither John or Thomas were at home. 

Fifty pounds of wheat contains forty pounds of flour. 
They, who much is given to, will have much to answer 
for. 

Nothing never affeeted her so much as this misconduct 
of her child. 

When the judge dare not act, where is the losers remedy? 
None of his friends are more beloved than him. 

Rebecca took goodly raiment and put them on Jacob. 
Neither Roman or Saxon have added anything to his cat¬ 
egories. 

These sort of fellows are very numerous. 

Where are you going at? 

Wisdoms precepts forms the good mans happiness. 

Who did he receive that intelligence from? 

I have received no information on the subject, neither 
from him nor his friend. 

He who committed the offense you should correct, not I 
who am innocent. 

What avail the best sentiments if persons do not live 
suitably to them ? 

Let’s you and I go. 

They have been waiting this two hours. 

Who do you go with ? 

I can learn him many things. 

He done me no harm for I had wrote my letter before he 
come home. 

I would not act thus if I was him. 

It is etiquette not to set down in the presence of royalty. 
Those kind of habits are demoralizing. 

Neither of those men are the one I saw. 

Are either of those men going with us ? 

Is this the horse whom I drove ? 


27 


QUESTIONS IN GRAMMAR. 

What is the study of English Grammar intended to 
teach ? 

Define the difference between u common ” and “ proper ” 
nouns. 

How many degrees of comparison have adjectives, and 
what are they ? 

What is a pronoun? 

What is meant by parsing a sentence ? 

Write a short sentence containing a noun in the posses¬ 
sive case. 

What is a noun ? 

Name the nouns, adjectives and verbs in the following 
sentences: , , 

John had a remarkable escape from a mad dog which 
passed near him. 

Robert’s new house is larger than mine will be. 

William has a better house than John, but its location is 
not so good. 

ORTHOGRAPHY AND PUNCTUATION. 

Copy the following and correct the errors in orthography 
and punctuation : 

John paul jones or as he was commonly called paul jones 
was transfered in may 1776 from the alfred to the comand 
of The providence avesell mounting twelve guns and have- 
ing on board seventy men in this he maid sixteen prizes in 
little more than three weaks he was allso twice chast by 
british men of war but escaped by strattagem and superiour 
sayling in 1877 while the british were takeing posesion of 
Philadelphia and gates was spreading a nett for burgoyne 
paul jones was in france endevoring through the inflewence 
of the american commissioners franklin deane and lee to 
get the comand of a larger and better vesell than any the 
americans had in the service. 

The cairful studdy of languidge can not fale to maik the 
studant acquaintid with the lauz of the humen mind the 
orrigen and formashun of wurds and the struckcher of sen- 
tenses egzibbited in ettamollogee and cintacks; taken as a 
hole, air butt a counterpart off thoas mentle fenominay 
wich hav bin colleckted and clasyfide by the masters of 
mentle siense, The loz of suggestion of memmerry, of im- 
majenashun of abstrackshun of gennerrlisation and rezoning 
air distinctly exzibbitid not meerly in the hire spessmens of 
elokwentz and poettry but allso in the common forms off 


28 


languidge ; so that their is truth in the remarc “ that we 
might turn a treetis on the filosofy of mind intoo won on 
the filosofy of languidge by mearly supposing that evvery 
sed in the formor of the thoughts as subjecktiv is sed agen 
in the latter of the words as objectiv.” 


LETTER AND BRIEF. 

“Write a letter upon any subject with which you are fa¬ 
miliar, of not less than one page and a half in length, and 
fold and brief it.” 

The following instructions were given May 26, 1881, by 
the Secretary of the Treasury in regard to briefing and 
referring official communications, and will be applicable to 
other departments : 

“ Every letter * * * addressed to the Secretary of 

the Treasury * * * should show on the inside the 

name or title of the officer addressed, the date when written 
and the signature of the writer; and be paged. 

“Communications on letter paper should be folded in 
three (3) folds, and those on foolscap paper in four (4) folds, 
and be briefed by the writer on the first or upper fold as 
follows: 

“ I. The place where the communication was written, 
and the date. 

“II. The name and official designation, if any, of the 
writer. 

“ III. A brief of the subject matter, embracing every¬ 
thing of importance, particularly the names or firms men¬ 
tioned. 

“At the top of the fold a space of an inch should be left 
blank, and the number of enclosures noted at the bottom.” 


C 3 

S 2 

O H 
Q a? 

fc £ 


^ S 


<D 


* ts 


o 

O "O 
** C 03 *53 

<X> ns Cl , 
® © „ © 

o > 

03 oo 

a? © r d 

n a a 

rj 03 

m to 73 

Cl r-* . r-( £-4 

§3 M 

■ -> • H 

O ® « £ 

13 ,o 
w „ ^ o 
■ B ~ <U 

M » rs 

.S ca *+3 














29 


HINTS TO APPLICANTS. 

See to it that your work, as nearly as possible, is correct. 
Each error reduces the standing, and rapidity of execution 
will not offset erroneous work. 

Do not guess at answers, for it is possible that you may 
thus betray a degree of ignorance which could not be in¬ 
ferred from a mere failure to answer. 

In accounts see that the computations are correct, the 
items properly entered, the heading full and correct, the 
balance properly brought down, and the work properly ruled. 

Let your penmanship be firm, legible and well controlled, 
and it will be more highly appreciated than a showy hand¬ 
writing which breaks down after a few pages have been 
written. Exercise special care in punctuating your work. 
Let your periods, commas, etc., be perfectly made, and do 
not fall into the grievous error of making a simple “ tick ” 
with the pen do duty for signs that should be made as nearly 
as possible like the printed characters. 

In the arithmetical portion of the examination the greatest 
care must be observed. Work out each example in full on 
the waste sheets that are supplied for that purpose, prove 
your work and then copy it in full upon the examination 
sheets. Be sure to properly numerate and point off* your 
answers, keep decimal points in their proper places, and 
reduce all common fractions to lowest terms. 

Be careful; it has frequently happened that carelessness 
has materially affected the standing of candidates.. For 
instance, in giving the dates of events which occurred in the 
last century, candidates have assigned them to the present cen¬ 
tury; it was evident that the errors arose from inadvertence, 
but they were none the less errors, and were so charged. 

Be neat; let your papers be free from, blots, stains, or 
other evidences of careless haste or slovenliness. 

Be self-possessed. Some degree of nervousness will, 
perhaps, be felt by all; but the man who is most composed, 
who can best concentrate his ideas, who can best keep his 
knowledge at command, will not only succeed the best in 
the examination room, but will be the clearest-headed and 
readiest at the desk. 

Prepare yourself for the examination. Do not trust what 
you learned as a school-boy. A few hours passed in reading 
the rules of arithmetic, the Constitution of the United 
States, the principal events of American history, &c., will 
be time well spent. 


80 


CIVIL SERVICE RULES. 

In the exercise of the power vested in the President by 
the Constitution, and by virtue of the 1753d section of the 
Revised Statutes, and of the civil service act approved Jan¬ 
uary 16, 1883, the following rules for the regulation and 
improvement of the executive civil service are hereby 
promulgated: 

Rule I. 

No person in said service shall use his official authority 
or influence either to coerce the political action of any per¬ 
son or body or to interfere w r ith any election. 

Rule II. 

No person in the public service shall for that reason be 
under any obligation to contribute to any political fund, or 
to render any political service, and he will not be removed 
or otherwise prejudiced for refusing to do so. 

Rule III. 

It shall be the duty of collectors, postmasters, assistant 
treasurers, naval officers, surveyors, appraisers, and custo¬ 
dians of public buildings at places where examinations are 
to be held, to allow and arrange for the reasonable use of 
suitable rooms in the public buildings in their charge, and 
for heating, lighting, and furnishing the same, for the pur¬ 
poses of such examinations; and all other executive officers 
shall in all legal and proper ways facilitate such examinations 
and the execution of these rules. 

Rule IV. 

1. All officials connected with any office where, or for 
which, any examination is to take place, will give the Civil 
Service Commission, and the chief examiner, such informa¬ 
tion as may be reasonably required, to enable the Commis¬ 
sion to select competent and trustworthy examiners; and 
the examinations by those selected as examiners, and the 
work incident thereto, will be regarded as a part of the 
public business to be performed at such office. 

2. It shall be the duty of every executive officer promptly 
to inform the Commission, in writing, of the removal or 
discharge from the public service of any examiner in his 
office, or of the inability or refusal of any "such examiner to 
act in that capacity. 


31 


Rule V. 

There shall be three branches of the service, classified 
under the civil service act (not including laborers or work¬ 
men, or officers required to be confirmed by the Senate), 
as follows: 

1. Those classified in the departments at Washington 
shall be designated “ The Classified Departmental Service.” 

2. Those classified under any collector, naval officer, sur¬ 
veyor, or appraiser in any customs district, shall be desig¬ 
nated “ The Classified Customs Service.” 

3. Those classified under any postmaster at any post 
office, including that at Washington, shall be designated 
“ The Classified Postal Service.” 

4. The Classified Customs Service shall embrace the sev¬ 
eral customs districts where the officials are as many as 
fifty, now the following : New York City, N. Y.; Boston, 
Mass.; Philadelphia, Pa.; San Francisco, Cal.; Baltimore, 
Md.; New Orleans, La.; Chicago, Ill.; Burlington, Vt.; 
Portland, Me.; Detroit, Mich.; Port Huron, Mich. 

5. The Classified Postal Service shall embrace the sev¬ 
eral post offices where the officials are as many as fifty, now 
the following : Albany, N. Y.; Baltimore, Md.; Boston, 
Mass.; Brooklyn,N. Y/: Buffalo, N. Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Cin¬ 
cinnati, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Mich.; Indianapo¬ 
lis, Ind.; Kansas City, Mo.; Louisville, Ky.; Milwaukee, 
Wis.; Newark, N. J.; New Orleans, La.; New York City, 
N. Y.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Pittsburg, Pa.; Providence, R. 
I.; Rochester, N. Y.; St. Louis, Mo.; San Francisco, Cal.; 
Washington, D. C. 

Rule VI. 

1. There shall be open, competitive examinations for 
testing the fitness of applicants for admission to the ser¬ 
vice. Such examinations shall be practical in their char¬ 
acter, and, so far as may be, shall relate to those matters 
which will fairly test the relative capacity and fitness of the 
persons examined to discharge the duties of the branch of 
the service which they seek to enter. 

2 . There shall also be competitive examinations of a suit¬ 
able character to test the fitness of persons for promotion 
in the service. 

Rule VII. 

1. The general examinations under the first. clause of 
Rule VI for admission to the service shall be limited to the 


32 


following subjects : 1st. Orthography, penmanship, and 
copying. 2d. Arithmetic—fundamental rules, fractions, and 
percentage. 3d. Interest, discount, and elements of book¬ 
keeping and of accounts. 4th. Elements of the English 
language, letter-writing, and the proper construction of 
sentences. 5th. Elements of the geography, history, and 
government of the United States. 

2. Proficiency in each of these subjects shall be credited 
in gradingthe standing of the persons examined in propor¬ 
tion to the value of a knowledge of such subjects in the 
branch or part of the service which the applicant seeks to 
enter. 

3. No one shall be entitled to be certified for appoint¬ 
ment whose standing upon a just grading in the general 
examination shall be less than sixty-five per centum of com¬ 
plete proficiency in the first three subjects mentioned in 
this rule, and that measure of proficiency shall be deemed 
adequate. * 

4. But for places in which a lower degree of education 
will suffice, the Commission may limit the examinations to : 
1st, penmanship, copying, and orthography; 2d, the funda¬ 
mental rules of arithmetic; but no person shall be certified 
under this examination of a less grading than sixty-five per 
centum on each subject. 

5. The Commission may also order examinations of a 
higher grade, or upon additional or special subjects, to test 
the capacity and fitness which may be needed in any special 
place or branch of the service. 

Rule VIII. 

No question in any examination, or proceeding by, or 
under, the Commission or examiners, shall call for the ex¬ 
pression or disclosure of any political or religious opinion 
or affiliation, nor shall any discrimination be made by rea¬ 
son thereof, if known ; and the Commission and its exami¬ 
ners shall discountenance all disclosure, before either of 
them, of such’opinion by or concerning any applicants for 
examinations or by or concerning any one whose name is 
on any register awaiting appointment. 

Rule IX. 

All regular applications for the competitive examinations 
for admission to the classified service must be made on blanks 
in a form approved by the Commission. All requests for 


33 


such blanks, and all applications for examination, must be 
addressed as follows: 1. If for the Classified Departmental 
Service, to the U. S. Civil Service Commission, Washington, 
D. C. 2. If for the Classified Postal Serviee, to the post¬ 
master under whom service is sought. 3. If for the Classi¬ 
fied Customs Service, to the head of either customs office in 
which service is sought. All officers receiving such appli¬ 
cations will endorse thereon the date of the reception thereof, 
and transmit the same to the proper examining board of the 
district or office where service is sought, or, if in Washing¬ 
ton, to the Civil Service Commission. 

Rule X. 

Every examining board shall keep such records, and such 
papers on file, and make such reports as the Commission 
shall require; and any such paper or record in the charge 
of any examining board or any officer shall at all times be 
open to examination as the Commission shall direct, and 
upon its request shall be forwarded to the Commission for 
inspection and revision. 

Rule XI. 

Every application, in order to entitle the applicant to ap¬ 
pear for examination or to be examined, must state, under 
oath, the facts on the following subjects : 1. Full name, res¬ 
idence, and post office address. 2. Citizenship. 3. Age. 
4. Place of birth. 5. Health and physical capacity for the 
public service. 6. Right of preference by reason of military 
or naval service. 7. Previous employment in the public 
service. 8. Business or employment and residence for the 
previous five years. 9. Education. Such other information 
shall be furnished as the Commission may reasonably re¬ 
quire touching the applicant’s fitness for the public service. 
The applicant must also state the number of members of his 
family in the public service, and where employed, and must 
also assert that he is not disqualified under section 3 of the 
civil service act, which is as follows : “ That no person 
habitually using intoxicating beverages to excess shall be 
appointed to or retained in any office, appointment, or em¬ 
ployment to which the provisions of this act are applicable.” 

Rule XII. 

1. Every regular application must be supported by proper 
certificates of good moral character, health, and physical 


34 


and mental capacity for doing the public work, the certifi¬ 
cates to be in such form and number as the regulations of 
the Commission shall provide; but no certificate will be 
received which is inconsistent with the tenth section of the 
civil service act. 

2. No one shall be entitled to be examined for admission 
to the Classified Postal Service if under sixteen or over 
thirty-five years of age; or to the Classified Customs Ser¬ 
vice, or to the Classified Departmental Service, if under 
eighteen or over forty-five years of age ; but no one shall 
be examined for appointment to any place in the Classified 
Customs Service except that of clerk or messenger who is 
under twenty-one years of age; but these limitations of 
age shall not apply to honorably discharged soldiers and 
sailors of the last war who are otherwise duly qualified. 

Rule XIII. 

1. The date of the reception of all regular applications 
for the Classified Departmental Service shall be entered of 
record by the Commission, and of all other regular applica¬ 
tions by the proper examining boards of the district or office 
for which they are made; and applicants when in excess of the 
number that can be examined at a single examination, shall 
be notified to appear in their order on the respective rec¬ 
ords. But any applicants in the several States and Territo¬ 
ries for appointment in the Classified Departmental Service 
may be notified to appear for examination at any place at 
which an examination is to be held, whether in any State 
or Territory, or in Washington, which shall be deemed 
most convenient for them. 

2. The Commission is authorized, in aid of the appor¬ 
tionment among the States and Territories, to hold exami¬ 
nations at places convenient for applicants from different 
States and Territories, or for those examination districts 
which it may designate and which the President shall 
approve. 

Rule XIV. 

Those examined shall be graded, and shall have their 
grade marked upon a register after those previously thereon, 
in the order of their excellence as shown by their examina¬ 
tion papers, except that those from the same State or Terri¬ 
tory may be entered upon the register together, in the order 
of relative excellence, to facilitate apportionment. Separate 


35 


registers may be kept of those seeking t6 entfer any part of 
the service in which special qualifications are required. 

Rule XV. 

The Commission may give a certificate to any person ex¬ 
amined, stating the grade which such person attained and 
the proficiency in the several subjects, shown by the mark¬ 
ings. 

Rule XYI. 

1. Whenever any officer having the power of appointment 
or employment shall so request, there shall be certified to 
him, by the Commission or the proper examining board, 
four names for the vacancy specified, to be taken from those 
graded highest on the proper register of those in his branch 
of the service and remaining eligible, regard being had to 
the apportionment of appointments to States and Territories; 
and from the said four a selection shall be made for the 
vacancy. 

2. These certifications for the service at Washington shall 
be made in such order as to apportion, as nearly as may be 
practicable, the original appointments thereto among the 
States and Territories and the District of Columbia, upon 
the basis of population as ascertained at the last preceding 
census. 

3. In case the request for any such certification or any 
law or regulation shall call for those of either sex, the four 
highest of that sex shall be certified, otherwise sex shall be 
disregarded in such certification* 

4. JSTo person upon any register shall be certified more 
than three times to the same officer in the customs or postal 
service, or more than twice to any department at Wash¬ 
ington, unless upon request of the appointing officer; nor 
shall any one remain eligible more than one year upon 
any register. And no person while remaining eligible on 
any register shall be admitted to a new examination of the 
same grade. 

Rule XVII. 

1. Every original appointment or employment in said 
classified service shall be for the probationary period of six 
months, at the end of which time, if the conduct and capa¬ 
city of the person appointed have been found satisfactory, 


36 


the probationer shall he absolutely appointed or employed; 
but, otherwise be deemed out of the service. 

2. Every officer under whom any probationer shall serve 
during any part of the probation, provided for by these rules, 
shall carefully observe the quality and value of the service 
rendered by such probationer, and shall report to the proper 
appointing officer, in writing, the facts observed by him, 
showing the character and qualifications of such probationer, 
and of the service performed by him ; and such reports shall 
be preserved on file. 

3. Every false statement knowingly made by any person 
in his application for examination, and every connivance by 
him at any false statement made in any certificate which 
may accompany his application, shall be regarded as good 
cause for the removal or discharge of such person during 
his probation. 

Rule XVIII. 

Every head of a department or office shall notify the 
Commission of the name of every person appointed to, or 
employed in, the classified service under him (giving the 
date of the appointment and the designation of the office or 
place) from those examined under the Commission; and 
shall also inform the Commission of the date of any rejection 
or final appointment or employment of any probationer, and 
of the promotion, removal, discharge, resignation, transfer, 
or death of any such person after probation. 

• Rule XIX. 

There are excepted from examination the following: 
1. The confidential clerk Or secretary of any head of a de¬ 
partment or office. 2. Cashiers or collectors. 3. Cashiers 
or postmasters. 4. Superintendents of money-order divi¬ 
sions in post-offices. 5. The direct custodians of money for 
whose fidelity another officer is under official bond; but 
these exceptions shall not extend to any official below the 
grade of assistant cashier or teller. 6. Persons employed 
exclusively in the secret service of the Government, or 
as translators, or interpreters, or stenographers. 7. 
Persons whose employment is exclusively professional. 
8. Chief clerks, superintendents, and chiefs of divisions or 
bureaus. But no person so excepted shall be either trans¬ 
ferred, appointed, or promoted, unless to some excepted 
place, without an examination under the Commission. 
Promotions may be made without examination in offices 


37 


where examinations for promotion are not now held, until 
rules on the subject shall be promulgated. 

Rule XX. 

If the failure of competent persons to attend and he ex¬ 
amined, or the prevalence of contagious disease or other 
sufficient cause, shall make it impracticable to supply in 
due season for any appointment the names of persons who 
have passed a competitive examination, the appointment 
may be made of a person who has passed a non-competitive 
examination, which examination the Commission may pro¬ 
vide for; but its next report shall give the reason for such 
resort to non-competitive examination. 

Rule XXI. 

The Civil Service Commission will make appropriate 
regulations for carrying these rules into effect. 

Rule XXII. 

Every violation, by any officer in the executive civil ser¬ 
vice, of these rules, or of the 11th, 12th, 13th, or 14th sec¬ 
tion of the civil service act, relating to political assessments, 
shall be good cause for removal. 


REGULATIONS. 


The United States Civil Service Commission, acting 
under the authority of the Civil Service Act of January 
16, 1883, and the rules promulgated by the President, 
makes the following regulations : 

CHIEF EXAMINER. 

1. The Chief Examiner shall, as far as practicable, except 
when otherwise directed by the Commission, attend the 
examinations held by the several boards of examiners. He 
shall take care to secure accuracy, uniformity, and justice 
in all their proceedings, which shall at all times be open to 
him; but leaving the duty of the examiners, for marking 
and grading those examined, unimpaired. The Commis¬ 
sion will, in its discretion, designate one of its own mem¬ 
bers, or request the detail of a suitable person, to supervise 
examinations whenever deemed needful. 

2. He shall prepare and submit to the approval of the 




38 


Commission proper forms and questions. He shall take 
care that the rules and regulations are complied with, [and 
bring every case of injustice and irregularity observed by 
him to the attention of the Commission. He shall take 
such part as the Commission shall assign him in the work 
at Washington. It shall be his duty to confer, from time 
to time, with the heads of the postal and customs offices 
which he officially visits concerning the regularity, suffi¬ 
ciency, and convenience of the examinations for the service 
under them. 

SECRETARY. 

3. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the proceed¬ 
ings of the Commission and have charge of and be respon¬ 
sible for the safe keeping of the books, records, papers, and 
other property in its office. He shall make the proper cer¬ 
tification of those eligible for the Departmental service. 
He shall generally conduct the correspondence of the 
pom mission and perform such other appropriate duties as 
it may assign to him. 

BOARDS OF EXAMINERS. 

4. The general Board of Examiners for the Departmental 
service shall consist of two persons from the Treasury De¬ 
partment, two from the Post-Office Department, two from 
the Interior Department, and one from each of the other 
Departments. But any three members may he designated 
by the Commission to constitute the acting Examining 
Board for any examination. 

The Secretary of the Board of Examiners for the Depart¬ 
mental service shall keep a record of its proceedings and 
have charge of its papers. 

^ 5. A special Board of Examiners will be selected by the 
Commission from the Departmental service at Washington, 
for holding any examination, whenever, in the judgment of 
the Commission, the technical information or skill to be 
tested seems to require it. 

6. In case of examinations to be held at other places than 
those having the classified service, the Commission may 
designate an Examining Board for that purpose. 

7. For each post-office, the Board of Examiners shall 
consist of three persons. 

8. The Examiners for each customs district shall consist 
of two persons selected from the office of the collector and 
one from each of the other customs offices which are’ sub- 


39 


ject to the rules; but if there be no office subject thereto 
except that of the collector, the three shall be selected from 
his office. 

9. Three Examiners may serve as a Board for conducting 
any examination; and the Examiners for any customs dis¬ 
trict will determine which three shall hold any examina¬ 
tion, taking care that if an examination is wholly or mainly 
for any office, one or more of the examiners from that 
office shall be on the acting Board. In case of a failure or 
disagreement as to which three shall be the Board for any 
examination, the Commission or Chief Examiner shall des¬ 
ignate the local examiners who shall serve. In case of the 
disability or necessary absence of one of the three examin¬ 
ers selected, the other two may conduct the examination. 

10. Each Examining Board in the postal and customs 
service shall select one of its members to serve as secretary, 
and it shall be his duty to keep a complete record of the 
proceedings of the Board and of all the examinations held. 
He shall also keep the Record of Applicants and Examina¬ 
tions, and the Register of Persons Eligible for Appoint¬ 
ment. He shall have charge of all books and papers 
belonging to the Board. On application of the proper 
appointing officer, hp shall certify to such officer the names 
ot the four persons of highest grade remaining ou the reg¬ 
ister, in conformity to the rules. He shall also answer all 
proper requests for application blanks, and send due notifi¬ 
cations to applicants to be examined, and shall give all other 
notices required to be given by the Board. 

11. Ho examiner or officer serving under the Commis¬ 
sion must attempt to control or influence removals. 

12. Care must be taken by the examiners not to allow 
such visitors as they may admit, nor any conversation or 
other cause, to obstruct or distract those being examined. 

13. Examiners must not disclose for public information, 
unless by the consent of those examined, more than the 
general results of examinations, without the details of 
answers given. 

14. Complaints which show injustice or unfairness on 
the part of any Examining Board, or any one acting under 
the Commission, will be considered by the Commission, 
and if necessary it will revise the marking and grading on 
the papers, or order a new examination, or otherwise do 
justice in the premises. 

15. The head of each post-office and of each 'customs 


40 


office, to which the rules are applicable, should inform the 
local Board of Examiners of probable vacancies, that exam¬ 
inations for tilling them may be held in due season. 

16. The Board of Examiners for each office or district 
must promptly notify the Commission of the need of hold¬ 
ing an examination in and for such office or district, and 
may appoint the time for the same; but subject to any 
change the Commission may find it necessary to make for 
the more convenient and effective discharge of its duty to 
see that the examinations are accurate, uniform, and just. 
The notice must state under which clause or clauses of Buie 
7 the applicants are to be examined, and must, when prac¬ 
ticable, be given at least twenty days before the time ap¬ 
pointed therein for the examination. 

17. Notices in writing shall be mailed to applicants for ex¬ 
amination in the postal and customs service at least eight 
days before the examination, and they shall clearly specify 
the place and the time, including the hour, of holding the 
sam e. 

18. All competitive examinations for admission to the 
civil service shall be in writing, except that tests of physical 
qualities or expertness may be added as the Commission 
shall approve. 

19. All the questions on any subject in the examinations 
will be given on a single sheet. The sheets will be num¬ 
bered and will be given out in the order of their numbers; 
each, after the first, being given only when the applicant 
shall return to the examiners the last sheet given to him. 

20. Not less than four nor more than ten questions shall 
be given in each subject of the examination ; and, to facili¬ 
tate the marking, the questions in the same subject shall, 
as far as practicable, be equal in difficulty. Care shall also 
be taken that the time allotted for the examination shall be 
reasonably sufficient for answering the questions. 

21. In general no competitive examination should occupy 
more than five hours, exclusive of any intermission, and in 
case the examination be divided into two sessions no ques¬ 
tions given out during the first session should be allowed 
to be answered in the second. 

22. Every examiner will exercise all due diligence to 
secure fairness, and to prevent all collusion or fraud in the 
examinations. 

23. The examination papers of each applicant shall be 
marked only with a number, and his name, with his num- 


41 


ber, shall be placed in a sealed envelope which shall not be 
opened till after his papers are marked. 

24. The examination papers shall be reviewed by each Ex¬ 
aminer separately, and in any case of disagreement the aver¬ 
age of the markings, to be made on the papers by all, shall 
be the final marking on each question, subject to the regu¬ 
lation as to revision. 

25. The views of the heads of post-offices and customs 
offices, as to whether applicants for the several parts of the 
service under them shall be examined in the five subjects 
under clause one of Rule 7, or only in the two subjects un¬ 
der clause four of that rule, will be accepted by the Com¬ 
mission so far as its duty to require uniformity, and adequate 
tests of capacity for doing the public work, will permit. 

MARKING AND GRADING. 

26. The marking on the examinations has three objects : 

First. To determine the standing in each subject. 

Second. To determine the average standing upon the 

whole examination. 

Third. To determine whether the applicant is admissible 
to the register. 

27. To determine the standing in any subject, mark each 
answer in proportion to its completeness and accuracy, the 
perfect answer counting 100. Divide the sum of the credits 
given to all the answers in such subject by the number of 
the questions; the quotient will be the proper standing in 
the subject. 

28. To give to each of the five subjects named in clause ! 
of Rule 7, the value due to their respective importance in 
the service, it is determined that they shall be counted in 
making up the general average, when perfect, as follows : 

1. Orthography, penmanship and copyiug, 100. 

2. Arithmetic, fundamenial rules, fractions and percent¬ 
age, 100. 

^3. Interest, discount, and elements of book-keeping and 
of accounts, 100. 

4. Elements of English language, letter-writing and the 
proper construction of sentences, 50. 

5. Elements of the history, geography and government 
of the United States, 50. 

(It will be seen that the total credits for a perfect exami¬ 
nation in the five subjects will amount to 400. ' Dividing 


42 


this by 4, being the number of hundreds, will give 100, 
which is the highest attainable general average.) 

29. To determine the average standing of any applicant, 
add to his total standing in the first three subjects one-half 
his standing in the other two and divide the sum by 4; the 
quotient will be his average standing. 

30. JSTo applicant the average of whose credits on the first 
three subjects is less than 65 will be placed on the register 
of persons eligible to appointment. All above that will 
be placed on the register in the order of their average 
standing. 

31. The average standing of persons examined in the 
two subjects under clause 4, Rule 7, will be found by divid¬ 
ing the sum of their credits by 2. The average standing 
must reach 65 to entitle the applicant to a place on the 
register. 

The following will illustrate the application of these direc¬ 
tions : 


[Sum of credits in each subject divided by number of questions gives credit in that subject.] 


Firot 

subject. 

Credit to each 
question. 

Second 

subject. 

Credit to each 
question. 

Third 

subject. 

Credit to each 
question. 

Fourth 

subject. 

Credit to each 
question. 

Fifth 

subject. 

Credit to each 
question. 

Qucs. 1. 

80 

Qu68. 1 . 

40 

Ques. l...„ 

70 

Ques. 1. 

60 

Ques. 1. 

60 

Ques. 2. 

45 

Ques. 2. 

90 

Ques* 2. 

45 

Ques. 2. 

50 

Ques. 2. 

90 

Ques, S. 

71 

Ques. 3. 

74 

Ques. 3. 

90 

Ques. 3. 

35 

Ques. 3. 

80 

Ques. 4. 

50 

Ques. 4. 

56 

Ques. 4. 

85 

Ques. 4 

90 



Ques. 5. 

65 



Ques. 5. 

100 

Ques 5. 

100 














311 


260 


290 


335 


230 

Divide 










credits by 

5 


4 


5 


5 


3 

number 










questions. 






One-half 




62.2 


65 


58 

credits in 

2) 67 


2)76.6 







two last 

_ 


_ 







subjects. 

33.5 


38.3 


The grade at which the applicant will go upon the reg¬ 
ister is, therefore, 

257 

62.2 + 65 + 58^33.5 + 3-£8.3 = — = 64.25. 

4 
























































Government Clerkships 


HOW TO GET ONE. 


HOW TO PREPARE FOR EXAMINATION. 


PRACTICAL INFORMATION REGARDING EXAM¬ 
INATIONS UNDER THE RULES AND REGU¬ 
LATIONS OF THE U. S. CIVIL SER¬ 
VICE COMMISSION. 


Civil Service Rules and Regulations. 


WASHINGTON, D. C. 

R. BERESFOKD, PRINTER, 523 SEVENTH STREET. 

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